OK, can I first start with I am SO sorry! I am SO far behind in blogging it’s not even funny. Well, maybe to someone it is, but I’m a little embarrassed. What a bad blogger I am! Anywho, what better way to jump back into blogging than a race recap.

I was so excited about this 5K. I had been wanting to do a color run for a while, but some of them are a little pricey and if you’ve read my blog for a while, you know I budget my money and can be a bit frugal at times. So when I found out about the Kilt and Kolor Run from Endurance Race Services (a race company I absolutely LOVE) and that it was so affordable, I jumped on it. In fact, I signed up TJ as well (don’t worry I asked if he’d do it first).

The closer it got to race day, the more excited I became. I decided to make a shirt to represent my MRTT group. We had a babysitter lined up to watch the kids so we could have our own race date. And then, the morning of the race, my daughter woke up with a fever. Knowing how excited I was about the race, TJ told me to go and have a good time and he would stay home with Jordyn. I was bummed about the situation but headed out the door.

Take a look at how clean I am. It’s all about to change.

I arrived a bit early but it allowed me to check my phone and my keys, move around and warm up and do a little Zumba before the race to get my heart pumping.

Finally it was time to race. Being the first year for this race, it was smaller, but I kind of liked it that way. We lined up at the start and there wasn’t any overcrowding. We started to race and had breathing room right away.

Before I go on, here’s a little info about the race. The 5K had three color stations and since the race was an out and back, you went through each color station twice giving you six chances to be showered with color. About ½ mile in was the first color station. The volunteers were really great about throwing color on everyone and we were covered after just the first station. After laughs and quickly realizing keeping your mouth closed is the best option, I raced on.

When I began the race, I wondered how I would feel. Because I didn’t want to ruin my phone, I checked it and had no music for the race. It wasn’t until the race started that I realized you could hear music through almost the entire course, leaving me feeling great.

I reached the halfway point and grabbed some water from the water stationed and headed back for the last half of the race. It was just after the halfway point when I could hear the race director announce that the first runners had finished. It was an untimed race, but I knew when I heard that I must have been doing great on time, which gave me motivation to push a little harder.

After passing the final color station, I knew I was almost done. I ran into the finish feeling just as good as when I started. OK, OK, I felt better than I did before I started. Those endorphins will do that to you.

Grabbing a water, I headed to get my phone and keys from gear check and realized there was a strong possibility I PR’d that race. I don’t know for sure since it was untimed, but based on when I picked up my phone, I think it was by a few minutes. Now I can’t wait for my next 5K!

As I sat down this morning to write this blog post, I open up Blogger and realize it’s been a month since last blogged. It hasn’t been since my virtual 5K in January. YIKES! Well, I’m finally back and with another race recap, my first 10K!!!! Yay me!

It started with packet pick up on Friday, which if you follow me on Instagram, and you should) you saw this picture.

I LOVE how they gave us a headband instead of a t-shirt. It’s different and I like that!

Friday night, I got everything ready. I knew Saturday was going to be chilly but it was supposed to be one of those in between temperatures where you may need long sleeves, you may not. I opted for a lightweight long sleeve, I could pull off if needed with some pants.

Saturday morning arrived, and it was off to the race. TJ wasn’t running this with me, but the good sport that he was came out to support me, take a few pictures and hang out with the kids. But man oh man, we stepped out the door Saturday morning and it was cold, well colder than we were expecting. But everyone was in jackets and we grabbed a blanket for Jordyn in case it was a little too cold for her.

As always, were earlier than we needed to be but it gave me a chance to just walk around and relax. The only problem, it was getting windy making it even colder outside. TJ finally convinced me to put Jordyn in the provided child care. Truthfully, I was being cheap frugal and I figured if TJ was there then we didn’t need it, but it was cold so it was the best option.

After dropping Jordyn off it was time to meet up with the fabulous ladies of my local running group, Moms Run This Town. They have chapters all over the country so if you’re looking for a running group, click on the link and see if they have one near you. And if they don’t, you start it. We had enough time for a quick photo op and then it was time to head outside to the start.

As we wait for the start the winds start picking up, so I put on my new, super cool headband.

And then the moment we all waited for…..GO TIME!

I knew the moment I started, I went out a little too fast, so I did try to slow down but if you’ve ever done a race, you know that the excitement along with all the people around you makes it a little tough to do.

We got out of the church parking lot, where the race started and the winds began. I knew before we left the house that 22-24 mph winds were expected during the race, but there definitely some gusts that were higher than that. We were all running against the wind with them as ridiculous as they were, it was making this run a definite challenge.

Not long into the race, I started doubting myself. I was really beginning to wonder if I was going to be able to finish this race, so I kept giving myself some goals and places to reach before I allowed myself a walk break. My left knee was feeling uncomfortable. It wasn’t hurting but definitely wasn’t feeling peachy. At the 2 mile mark, I was feeling a bit better but still like I needed a walk break so I told myself if I can make it to the halfway point then I will allow myself a walk break. And that’s what I did.

Hitting that halfway point and taking a walk break was what I needed. I knew I could finish the race but it may not be the best time I had seen. Also, this race was an out and back race, so I pretty much didn’t have a choince but to finish at that point. haha! But truthfully, the walk break was huge for me. It allowed me to catch my breath, and take it all in. As hard as it was feeling, I started realizing it wasn’t the run I had ever had. Most of this seemed to be in my head.

It was then I really started taking in my surroundings and continued running with some walk breaks in between. This race was held in a neighborhood with some gorgeous homes. If I had thought about it, I would have taken pictures of some of these homes, but my mind was not on picture taking. LOL! While house gazing and running, I finally noticed that the winds were starting to die down around Mile 4-4.5. And I was actually starting to get a little warm, but I really didn’t want to carry my long-sleeve shirt, so I said forget it and just kept running.

When I reached that last mile, my right foot was hurting, but at that point I didn’t have much left, so I wasn’t going to let that stop me unless it was really bad. This was more of a sore feeling. And finally it came time to cross the street and head into the parking lot of the church and to the finish.

As I’m coming in and getting closer, there’s Dylan cheering me on. I just love hos TJ caught us both in the picture.

Goin’ in for the finish!

YAY!!!! I did it!! And that up is because some of those ladies by the finish line are part of the running group.

With the race over, it was time for to receive my medal,

my hot chocolate mug (can you see the little spoon that comes with it? so cute!)

and of course there was hot chocolate and chocolate fondue! I was too busy eating the fruit and sharing with the kids to capture any of that deliciousness, but it was so good!

Despite everything that went on, and the feelings I had of not finishing, when I look back at it, it really wasn’t that bad. My official time was 1:14:10. It wasn’t my best run, but it wasn’t worst by a long shot. I did have a great time and the race was great.

Oh, and when I stopped my running apps (I use Runkeeper and Nike+) check out what it says for my 5K time!

No complaints there! Something to try and beat or come close to with next month’s 5K with TJ!

Have you had a race that didn’t go as planned as you ran it but when you looked back at it, you realized it wasn’t nearly as bad as you thought it was while running it?

I know, I know, where the hell have I been? I’ve been gone for way too long. There’s been a lot going on in my life lately and this blog seemed to have falled off the face of the planet when that happened. Oops!!! I’ve got nothing, except I’m sorry and I’m really working to do better. I promise

But what better way to come back to the blogging world, than with a huge brag accomplishment post about my 7 year old. In December, TJ and I ran the Savannah Bridge Run. Dylan was there to cheer us on and that day he had decided he wanted to run it with us the next year. I was so excited and all for it. There’s just one thing: Dylan has never run 3 miles all at once before.

I knew I would have to get him to start running and practicing if he really wanted to run the bridge. I’ve been a huge slacker mom and hadn’t gotten him started with running. He was getting plenty of exercise but I just never got him focused on running.

One random weekend day, I brought up the subject of him running the 5K and that maybe he’d like to go run with me just to practice some. Instead, Dylan responded with how easy a 5K would be and how would was going to get first place. I admired his confidence and determination but I also knew at 7 years old, he really didn’t know how long 3 miles was and that he might be in for a surprise.

Then a running group I’m part of, Savannah Moms Run This Town, posted a link to a Living Social Deal for the Girls On The Run 5K. The entry fee was half off and knowing Dylan need exposure to the true length of a 5K, TJ and I thought this would be a good chance to allow him to see how long it was and if he wanted to quit halfway through, then it would be ok since it was out and back, and the cost of the entry fee wasn’t high. TJ and I asked Dylan if he wanted to try it out. He excitedly said yes, and we were registered for our first 5K as family, with Jordyn being pushed in the stroller by TJ.

Now, fast foward to the week before the race. TJ calls me while he’s at school with the opportunity to work on his first film as boom mic operator (you know those guys that hold the huge microphones above the actors during filming) on a student film. Reminding him, he would miss the race, he almost cancelled on the film shoot, but I knew we could do it and he needed the experience. That left with pushing Jordyn in the stroller.

If you’ve read my blog long enough, you may find that I never talk about my runs with Jordyn. I talk about my walks with her, but never my runs. Why you ask? Because I don’t do it. I don’t run with Jordyn in a stroller. I typically take my runs as me time, but, really, it’s tough work. We also don’t have a jogging stroller, which makes it a bit tougher. So, I knew I was going to be in for a real challenge as well.

The morning of the race Dylan was up and ready to go in record time. He was so excited about the race. Me, on the other hand, wasn’t as excited. I knew how tough it might be for pushing the stroller but it was more about Dylan and with him as excited as he was, you couldn’t help but smile and have a little excitement yourself.

Once we got arrived at Savannah State University, wherethe race was held, we checked in, were given or t-shirts and bibs and then walked around a little bit. And before heading to the start, we of course had to get a before race picture.

Once lining up on the track for the start, we sapotted this awesome dad sporting a matching tutu with his daughter.

Finally it was time to race. Before the race began, I told Dylan how he needed to start slow. If he did that, he’d be able to run longer and farther. Well, the poor kid was just too dang excited. I kept asking him to slow down some in an effort to pace himself. He made it about 1/2 mile before he asked if we could take a walk break, which honestly I was fine with. Pushing that stroller isn’t easy. He caught his breath and was ready to go again. We ran for a little bit longer before he needed another walk break. And so on. We made this a run/walk 5K, as I figured it would be. I let Dylan determine when we would walk and run, but tried to push him just a little further each time he said he wanted to walk. If he asked to walk, I suggested making it to the next tree or lamp post. It usually gave him a little push, but I knew I couldn’t push him too much since he wasn’t used to this at all.

This race route was out and back, so when we started passing people, Dylan would be running and cheering on the other runners. He kept encouraging anyone and everyone to keep it up and that they were doing great. His sportmanship was phenomonal.

We finally made it back to the stadium where we would 3/4 of the way around the track to the finish line. I told Dylan to wait for me to yell, “GO” and when I did to run as fast as he could through that finish line. I told him not to stop until he crossed the finish. At the final stretch, I told him to go, and he took off. I, ran as fast as I could as well but with that stroller I knew I wasn’t going to be as fast as he was. I just kept cheering him on as I ran and to keep it up.

As soon as he crossed the finish, he stopped, turned around and waited for me, but he was kind of in the way of the rest of the finishers. Ooops! No one seemed to care but as we walked out the way, they were handing out finisher medals. Dylan was already proud of himself for finishing and then they hand him a medal. His whole face lit up.

He went on and on about how awesome he did and how he got a “gold medal.” After the race, we met up with a few of the ladies from the Savannah MRTT group for a group photo, and he was flashing his medal around (unaware that they too got one. lol) Gotta love those ladies for humoring him.

All in all, it was a great race for him. He had a great time, but is now a little unsure about the bridge run. I told him with practice, he can absolutely do bridge run and beat his time. He’s got a bit of motivation now and is ready to start running a little more.

As for me, whew! Kudos to you moms who run with strollers on a regualr basis. That was tough work and if it weren’t for the major calorie, I would never entertain the idea again. haha! But, that calorie burn was amazing! On a completely different note, I would love to make a family 5K a new Mother’s Day (weekend) tradition.

Do you run with a stroller? Do you have any tips? How about kids running 5K’s? Do you know of the best approach for kids and training?

First, I just want to say this post is entirely overdue! Like ridiculously overdue, but since I’ve actually had a few people ask me about it. I figured they deserved more than a, “It was great!”

I would like to start out by saying the Savannah Bridge Run was my first ever 5K and I was a little over-the-top prepared….and early, so a huge kudos needs to go out to TJ for agreeing to run this race with me after working all night and then sitting with me waiting for forever for the race to start, Beth who came out to the race to watch my kids and wait for us and cheer us on near the finish line, and for my kids for having to wake up way too early.

To say I was pumped about the race was a gross understatement. Even though I had slacked for a while before this race, I wasn’t at all nervous and was so excited. The night before the race, I had everything in the car and ready to go that needed to be: race inf and bibs, a change of clothes for TJ, and stuff for the kids when Beth took over. I had my clothes out and ready and I went to bed early.

I picked TJ up from work the next morning, and we were off to meet Beth downtown. Once we found Beth, we gave her everything I packed for the kids (you probably would have thought she was watching them all day, not 2 hours). We then walked the few blocks to the Savannah Civic Center. The Bridge Run had two areas for parking. One was across the bridge at the Convention Center and the other suggested area was a parking deck on the downtown side. The rebels that we are chose neither and parked on a side street close to the Civic Center where the race was finishing. If you parked on the downtown side (where we parked) they had trolleys that would take you over the bridge to the Convention Center where the 5K started. After saying goodbye to Beth and the kids, we hopped on trolley and headed over.

We were literally on the first trolley over. My need to be early is kind of ridiculous. Sometimes, I can’t help it. We arrive at the Convention Center and have nothing to do for almost 2 hours. So we find a spot inside, and we sit. And we took pictures.

Of ourselves.

Of our game face!

Of the man that is about to run 3.1 miles in heels! He rocked my world…and those heels! LOL!!!

Finally the time came to make our way to the start line. We knew this was a big race but it really helps put it in perspective when you’re at the start line and see all the people there. Here’s everyone in front of us. And we were a little close to the front.

And now it’s time to race! The have separated the runners and the walkers by the divide in the road which I think is great and was probably a huge help to the runners. It took us a few minutes before we actually were able to cross the start line, and then we were off making our way to the bridge. It was once we we were going up on the bridge that I needed to slow down and take a few walk breaks. Most All of the runs I had down before the race were on flat ground, so this hill they call the Talmedge Bridge wasn’t easy. I did better going up than I thought, thanks to TJ and his constant pushing me to keep running but I still needed the walk breaks. It was when we were almost to the top (and I was on one my last walk breaks on the bridge) that I snapped a few pictures. It was a gorgeous day outside and despite that fact that we were on the side of the bridge that was closer to the ports, the view was spectacular! It was halfway up the bridge that I had already made my decision about making this a race a yearly tradition.

Once we got to the top, and I was done with my camera phone pictures, that we began the run down the bridge. The hardest part was over! I know it’s a downward hill but this was the easiest part of my run and I was impressed with how controlled I kept myself, rather than wanting to run as fast as I could down it. I knew I would need to save some energy for the bottom of the bridge.

Once reaching the bottom of the bridge, you have to make a loop and go under it. Looking at everyone behind was truly incredible. There were so many people out here running. It’s pretty inspiring!

Once crossing underneath the bridge, I knew we just had to make across one major intersection and we would see Beth and the kids soon. I took one last walk break and then TJ and decided we running the rest of the way.

The excitement on their face was priceless and just seeing them cheering us on was the motivation I needed to push it that last little bit. We rounded the corner to the finish and then grabbed hands and ran the last 10th of mile crossing the finish line hand in hand at 37:01.79

We went straight to the water table and then met up with Beth and the kids. They were so happy to see us and Dylan said he wants to run with us next year! No problem! We can make it a family event. Dylan talked about all the people in costumes that he saw and how fast some them were running. We stayed and listened to music and for them to announce the winners.

And by that point TJ was getting tired. He had worked all night, then went straight downtown to run a 5K. He was ready to go home and sleep, so we didn’t stay long enough to hear the results of the costume contest but here are some of the people in costume we saw

First, let’s just to state the obvious….I’m a bit behind on the New Year post. I really wanted this written and up on Tuesday but I was super busy and that just didn’t happen. Bad blogger. And speaking of bad blogger, you may notice there are a few missing recaps. I never got around to sharing my first race experience with the Savannah Bridge Run, nor did I share any Christmas stories, or anything about my trip to Atlanta, which I sadly never even mentioned. Talk about awful. They’re coming all in the next week. Don’t mind the delay. I’m working on it.

And while I could share one of those stories today, I’m instead going to share some goals I have set for myself for the new year. Some are running, some are personal, and some re blog-related. None the less, I feel writing them down and sharing them with you will help in not only seeing what I want to accomplish, but also hold some accountability for myself.

Health & Fitness

Last month I signed up for 1000 Miles for Smiles set up by the fabulous Victoria Runs. It’s a challenge to run 1000 miles in 2013 and the money used to register is donated to a charity. There are prizes, winners as well. You should definitely check it out. For me, this is going to be HUGE and TOUGH! I didn’t even come close to that last year, and while I don’t know if this is a goal I can actually complete, I’m going to try. I signed up for the challenge to give me motivation to run more and because the cause is great! Realistically, if I can complete 450 miles, I’ll be ecstatic, but I’m using this challenge as a push to do more.

I want to get fitted for running shoes. I’ve never done this but I know how important this can be. I know I will need new running shoes in the next couple of months so this goal should be crossed off then.

I want to run at least 3 races, hopefully 4, one of which is a 10K. I know this doesn’t sound like a lot but while my husband is in school and only working part-time, we have a budget. If we can fit more into our budget, that would be great. I really need to start looking at which races I would like to do and sign up.

Eat healthier and get my family eating healthier. While I ate a lot healthier last year, I still have lots of room for improvement. My family, especially my husband, isn’t as big on the healthy eating kick, but is willing to try. With his help, I hope to keep junk food out of the house, and only have healthy snacks on hand for all of us.

Strength train 2-3 times a week. I admit, I’m awful when it comes to strength training. I know how important it is, but I just don’t do it like I should. I need, and want, to be better and stronger. This is a must.

Lose that last 15 pounds. I have hit a stand still with my weightloss but I am deermined to lose this last 15.

Personal/Family Goals

Organize my house and keep it organized. This involves so much, including having TJ and the kids help. I want to start small and focus on one room and go from there. I also would like us to go through our stuff once a month for 20-30 minutes and see what we can get rid of that we don’t use. I think these small tasks will help in the long run

Make a budget and put it on paper. This year, my husband and I want to work on paying off a few loans we have and saving some money. Change is in our future. Not in the immediate future, but in the future and we have to start planning for those changes now, even if they won’t happen for a few years. We want to start planning and saving for when the time comes to leave Savannah and move on somewhere else. And what better time to start, then now with a budget to help us do that.

Become more consistent with my meal planning. I meal plan now, but not every week and sometimes I’m just not in the mood to have what I have planned. I want to become better at it.

An active family day. My kids get outside but not as much as I would like. I want to take one day a month (to start with and then work towards more later) where we plan to spend the day as family outdoors doing something active. It doesn’t have to cost a lot but it could be as simple as a day at the park running around, or a day at the beach swimming in the ocean. We could make it educational and head to Ft Pulaski, or walk around downtown. I just want to do something that gets all of us moving more and together as a family.

Blogging Goals

Begin to consistently post. I work full-time and when I get home, I sometimes just want to spend time with my family or relax. But since starting this blog, I have realized that I enjoy to write and share my life experiences, whether good or bad. The days I post I feel more positive about myself and have found an inner peace. I hope that if I can post more consistently that inner peace and positive energy will stay and that I can also begin to grow my blog into something that I strive for it to be.

Come up with a new, more personalized design that better represents me and my blog. I have been thinking about some ideas for a while now. I just know I need a little help in getting it all put together and out there. Do you know of someone who can help me with that?

Post some informative and helpful posts. I post mostly about my personal experiences but I would love for people to be able to come here for information as well. And maybe I’ll throw in a few recipes in there too!

Comment on my favorite blogger posts more often. I do what I can but I know how I appreciate every time I get a comment, I would like to do the same for them.

Career Goals

I have been slowly working on building a portfolio to start my own photography business. It’s slow going, but I want to make sure I do everything correctly and don’t fail in my first two years. Finishing my portfolio would be a great step to help get me started. Do you live in the Savannah area and want some pictures taken? Go ahead and shoot me an email and we’ll meet up, I’ll show you some of my work and see what we can work out. You help me, and I’ll help you! 😉

Get all the paperwork I need to file for my business license in Savannah.

Get my business running by the end of the year. I plan to start out part time (I need to keep my current job as a steady source of income) but hope that once I grow and have enough clients, I could go full-time.

Well I guess that about covers it! It seems like a lot but I fully believe every single one of these goals will be doable. They won’t all be easy, and I know there will be times when I feel like they will be impossible, but I will just have to keep telling myself all of these will be worth it and make me a better overall person.

Have I been MIA or what? I am really sorry. Life got a hold of me and just didn’t let go.

I have been so crazy busy the last few weeks, I feel like I need a vacation. And things don’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.

Let’s back up a little. I last spoke with you about a very stressful GA game I was watching. For those who are not located in SEC of college football or a fan, I am happy to report that my Dawgs won the game!

And speaking of the Dawgs, check out my recent craft project! Dylan asked if I could make him a UGA sign and of course I said yes.

So, what have I been up to lately? Last week was spent helping a friend put together her wedding invitations. That is a lot more time consuming than either of us thought. I also spent a few hours Saturday making bridal shower invitations for this same friend.

Sunday, I finished up with the shower invites and TJ, the kids and I took a trip downtown. TJ needed to take a few pictures of one of the scenes he’s shooting for his film class and since it was such a gorgeous day out, we thought dinner and walking around downtown would be perfect.

During our stroll downtown, we wandered into City Market and stopped to listen to the live music. And who do we see? “Hulk Hogan!”

Of course, it’s not really Hulk Hogan (that would have been MUCH cooler!) but it was immediately what came out of our mouths as soon as we saw this guy.

And my favorite part of what’s been going on lately….this little guy!

My cousin had a beautiful baby boy! Little Wyatt was born September 16th and yesterday they were in Savannah killing some at Bass Pro Shop before picking up my aunt from the airport so we met up with them for a little bit to meet him. Thursday we’re going up to Beaufort, to steal some cuddle time and visit with my aunt as well and next week my uncle flys in so we’ll be making another trip up to see him, as well as more cuddle time with that handsome little baby.

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As far as fitness goes, it’s still going. not as strong as I’d like it to go but it’s definitely going. Last week, I went for a run 3 days in a row. I could definitely feel it by the 3rd day and my run suffered because of it.

Yesterday, I gave myself a rest day before hitting the gym this morning. We canceled our gym membership and we have a little bit of time left til we no longer have access so I’m trying to use it while we have it left.

This morning was a 4 mile run! This is only the second time I’ve gone this distance and while I’m proud of the distance, I’m not as happy as I was last time. I struggled today and was counting down the miles til it was over. There was a tightening in my chest and I’m not sure where it came from. It lingered around for a few hours after my run too but has since subsided thankfully. Anyone know what that could be?

As for the rest of my day, it consisted of work and finishing up the last of my friend’s wedding invitations. Yay!!!

How have all of you been? I have missed you and promise to make more appearances in the ol’ blog.

I know you’re wondering where I’ve been. Things have been SO crazy around here lately and they’re not quite ready to slow down just yet.

The weekend before Labor Day my sister-in-law and her family came to visit. We spent the weekend downtown and at the beach and had a blast. I forgot my camera but I got a few pictures on my phone.

Then Dylan started school and we were getting back into the school routine. 2nd Grade is no joke for him. Dylan is already struggling with the fact that his 2nd grade teacher doesn’t give him loads of chances like he got in kindergarten and 1st grade before going from a green (perfect day) to a yellow (not as great day) face. He’s a talker (if you know, this should come as no surprise) and just can’t seem to stay quiet. He’s also one of the youngest in his class making him one of the most immature kids in his class which the other kids find funny. The teacher, however, not so much. We’re working on it but it’s a slow process. And even though we’re only on the 2nd week, academically, he’s doing great!

And then we had Labor Day weekend. Saturday morning, I had a maternity photo session in the park with my cousin. There will be pics soon. My mom and sister also came into town.They couldn’t make it for Dylan’s birthday so they came this weekend instead armed with presents for Dylan. Dylan got money, a new DS game and this really cool rocket from my other sister that can shoot up to 1200 feet in the air depending on the kind of “engine” you have. We did a little shopping, and had some QT at the house. Sunday was a day to relax. My mom took Dylan out to lunch with just the two of them, while my sister and I hung out with Jordyn. And Monday, before they left to go back home, we took my mom to breakfast for her birthday (which was the 4th) and then hit the baseball fields at the college near our house so we could set off the rockets.

TJ was in charge of the first blast off to see what it was like.

Dylan’s face cracks me up.

Then it was Dylan’s turn to launch the rocket but he was worried it would be too loud so he asked if I would cover his ears. It’s not really loud but he has sensitive ears and loud noises really bother him.

It was finally home to get some cleaning and ,more importantly, laundry done and prepare for the week.

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As far as fitness goes, it’s going well. I’ve been fitting in some fitness in a few more leisurely ways, such as swimming and walking around downtown but my runs have been happening too. It’s been so busy I haven’t had much of a chance to really blog about it, but I’m back. I’m working on prioritizing and scheduling each part of my day to get the most done throughout the day. Wish me luck as work towards getting a more organized house and family.

This morning, I started off my day with a run at the gym. We have finally cancelled our gym membership and as of September 28th, we will begin having an extra $60 a month! And another happy note, we should have our treadmill by then or soon after if I can find one I like and think is worth it on Craigslist. I would personally rather buy a brand new one but that isn’t in our budget so a Craigslist find will do.

Back to my run. I ran a short 2 miles since a trip to Kroger was on the agenda on my way home and there was still lunches to be made. Should have woken up earlier but I figure my 2 miles was better than no miles. Am I right?

This post was supposed to go up yesterday, but sadly I left my memory card at home and when I got home, I completely forgot. Oops!

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How was everyone’s weekend? I was great! I hope yours was too!

Last Wednesday was mine and TJ’s two year anniversary. Two years ago we got married on the beach on Hunting Island near Beaufort, SC where we lived at the time. Last year, we went back to that beach to celebrate our 1 year anniversary where we got married. This year the plan was to do the same but in the end we decided on going to Tybee Island instead. Tybee Island is a half the distance to Hunting Island so we’d be saving a good amount of gas.

Saturday morning, I was up making lunches, and loading up the car. At 9am, we headed out (after turning back to get the blanket we forgot. oops!)

That’s definitely a golf cart driving down 80 in the fast lane (and not one that go very fast!)

Once we arrived we set up our spot near the pier and hit the water.

I thought the waves were a bit choppier today but maybe it was my imagination. They were definitely bigger than normal though. I didn’t take a ton of pictures. I brought my camera and wanted to take some but I was definitely just living in the moment. Dylan was all about riding the waves with his boogie board and definitely wanted me to go with him. His boogie boards are small and help you ride the waves but he needs a bigger one. Jordyn was a little nervous with the waves but overall did well.

After a little swimming in the ocean, it was time for lunch and to take a little break to play in the sand.

It didn’t take though before Dylan was ready to get back in the water. You’d never know he used to be terrified of the ocean. While Dylan played in the waves with TJ, I sat with Jordyn. There was a tiny little pool of water from where the sand had been a bit dug out and when the tide went back out some of the water stayed. It was a perfect baby pool for Jordyn, but it was extremely warm. This is where Jordyn felt the most comfortable. She loved playing in the water with her toys and digging in the dirt.

TJ and I took turns sitting with her and playing in the water with Dylan. After a little, Jordyn had decided she had had enough and was tired and wanted to go home. We packed a bit earlier than I had planned on went back to relax at the house. Well TJ and the kids relaxed. I did what else, laundry.

Sunday, was big on the relaxing front for me. I hit the gym first thing in the morning and had my fastest pace yet. I was quite pleased with myself. After my run I decided I wanted to get a little more cardio in but something more low key. It was off to the bikes where I made a goal of 3 miles. Nothing crazy but enough for another low key 20 minutes or so.

On a weightloss note, I was down another .8 pounds yesterday bringing my total weight loss to 16.6 pounds. Only a few more pounds to go before I hit the halfway point! WAHOO!!!

The rest of my day was spent relaxing and hanging out with the kids. They always know how to make a person’s day!

First, I’m way late on this post. I had every intention on doing it at work but believe it or not, I actually had stuff to do. LOL!

Overall, it was relaxing day. The morning was spent on some much needed organizing. I’m currently going through each room of the house, one at a time and getting rid of things we don’t need or use and hope to have a yardsale in the fall.

After lunch and Jordyn was down for her nap, it was time for Dylan and me to make some cookies, Museli Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Dylan made most of the cookies himself, with a little bit of help from me with measurements

This was Dylan’s favorite part.

OK, maybe this was his favorite part. lol

Waiting for them to cool is the hardest part

Jordyn couldn’t wait so climbed up all stealthily and ate two before she was caught. I don’t really blame her, they were DELICIOUS! (I’ll post the recipe this week.)

We grilled out for dinner and then it was off to River Street to see some fireworks. It was hot, but not unbearable. Jordyn was tired and cranky but she made it to the fireworks. Dylan was great. He just patiently waited and asked lots of questions about fireworks.